On A-level results day, Steer Automotive Group CEO Jana Siber says a generation has been steered towards desk work that is now being automated, while the trades facing the sharpest shortages in the country have never had more to offer the young people who choose them.
• Only 12% of vehicle paint technicians in the UK are under 25. The accident and repair sector loses around 4,700 skilled workers a year and gains only 3,000: a net loss of 1,700 people annually (IMI, May 2026)
• Advertised pay for paint technicians has risen 28% in two years and the roles still cannot be filled, with the IMI finding shortages most severe in body repair and paint (IMI, March 2026)
• Just 11,518 technicians, around 4% of the workforce, hold a qualification in the driver assistance systems already fitted to 27% of cars on UK roads. Around 205,000 will be needed by 2030 (IMI, Q3 2025)
• More than 70% of repair and salvage employers report skills shortages and 92% of UK automotive businesses report difficulty sourcing the skills they need, against a UK cross-industry average of 73%.
• Earlier this year Steer, which runs more than 200 repair centres and employs 4,400 people, launched its own training academy, with approximately 300 apprentices on programme – roughly one in fifteen of Steer's entire workforce – and ambitions to grow that number to over 400 across the group.
On the morning that hundreds of thousands of teenagers open their A Level results, the Chief Executive of the UK’s largest vehicle repair group has urged school leavers and their parents to
look seriously at a set of careers that have space for talent of all ages, cannot be automated or offshored, and will train and pay them from day one.
Jana Siber, who became Chief Executive of Steer Automotive Group last month, is calling for skilled automotive careers to be recognised as “Future-Proof Trades”: highly technical roles that combine software, diagnostics and hand skills, and that are facing an ageing workforce.
Research published by the Institute of the Motor Industry in May found that only 12% of the UK’s vehicle paint technicians are under 25. Across accident and repair, the sector loses an estimated 4,700 skilled workers a year to retirement and churn while attracting only around 3,000 new entrants: a net loss of roughly 1,700 people every year. In paint specifically, more than 800 leave annually against 400 arriving.
The shortage is not for want of employers trying to pay for it. The IMI’s March labour market briefing found that advertised salaries for vehicle paint technicians have risen 28% in two years and still sit well below benchmark levels for comparable skilled work, evidence, the IMI concluded, of sustained recruitment difficulty rather than a market finding its level. Apprenticeship uptake in vehicle damage repair has meanwhile continued to fall, with paint, panel and assessor pathways all declining year on year.
At the same time the work itself has changed beyond recognition. A modern repair not only removes dents and creases in vehicle panels, it can also involve recalibrating radar and camera systems, isolating a 400-volt EV battery pack, bonding aluminium and composite structures, and running manufacturer diagnostic software on everything from a Tesla to a Lamborghini. Only 11,518 technicians in the UK – around 4% of the workforce – hold an ADAS-related qualification, while 27% of cars on the road already carry Level 2 driver assistance features. On current trends the IMI projects supply of around 30,000 by 2030 against a minimum requirement of around 205,000.
Jana Siber, Chief Executive Officer of Steer Automotive Group, said:
“I spent most of my career in boardrooms and consultancies, and I would say this to any parent reading their child’s results this morning: the picture we were all given about which careers are safe is out of date. The work being taken by AI is the work being done sitting at a screen. What cannot be automated is the judgement of a skilled technician repairing a damaged bumper, making it safe again.
“This industry has absorbed every technological shift of the past century. It electrified. It computerised. It is going digital now, and it will absorb AI too. The jobs of the future are not coming. They are here, and we want young people, and those considering a career change to join us.”
Training across a range of trades
Steer runs its own training academy and has around 300 apprentices on programme – roughly one in fifteen of Steer's entire workforce – with an ambition to grow beyond 400. Apprentices are paid from day one, with no tuition fees and no student debt.
The Academy runs six distinct apprenticeship pathways rather than a single general route: Multiskills, MET, Cosmetic and Vehicle Damage Assessment and Paint and Panel, the two occupations the IMI identifies as under the most severe pressure in the UK. The next intake opens in 2027, so leavers should be ready to apply later this year.
Benefits include:
· A three-day Work Trial Experience before enrolment, so candidates can try the work before committing to it
· Qualified on-site mentors at every site, and delivery through a small number of approved specialist providers working exclusively to Steer's standards
· Accreditations in electric vehicle systems, ADAS, refrigerant handling and welding built into the programmes where applicable
· IMI-accredited continuing professional development that continues for the length of a career, not just the apprenticeship
Holly Muldoon, apprentice at Steer Markham, said:
“I chose an apprenticeship because I feel like you get more learning through it and there’s not so much pressure to know everything all at once. I’d recommend it to others who want more hands-on learning than they can get through college or university, and to get more experience in the industry.”
Daniel Hudson, apprentice at Steer Sheffield, said:
“You learn a hell of a lot more doing it on the job, being around people who have done it pretty much all their lives. And the bonus is you get paid for doing it, while learning a skill that will last you all your life. I’d recommend it to other young people because it gives you more doors to go through, more opportunities.”
ENDS
Data sources · Institute of the Motor Industry, Understanding the UK Accident & Repair Workforce, 2026 · Institute of the Motor Industry, Automotive Labour Market Briefing, 2026 · Institute of the Motor Industry, Automotive Education Report Edition 16, 2026 · ManpowerGroup, 2026 Talent Shortage Survey, 2026
About Steer Automotive Group
Steer is the UK’s leading automotive repair group, operating a national network of over 200 accident repair centres delivering consistent, high-quality outcomes at scale. The business combines a highly skilled technical workforce with disciplined operational standards and a strong customer service ethos. Across this network Steer repairs over 200,000 vehicles a year and employs more than 4,400 people.
Steer Automotive Group also trades as Gemini, Komoo, and Steer’s Luxury Collection which includes Steer Luxury, M&A Coachworks, Chartwell and Lloyds Autobody Repair.
Steer maintains longstanding partnerships with leading insurers including Admiral, Ageas, Allianz and Aviva, supporting passenger, luxury and commercial vehicle repair programmes nationally.
The Group holds 42 manufacturer approvals and recommendations, including Porsche, Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, McLaren, Jaguar Land Rover, Lamborghini, Tesla, Mercedes, BMW MINI, VW Group and Stellantis.
With PAS 2060-verified carbon-neutral status, Steer continues to invest in sustainable repair methods, new technologies and electric vehicle capability, underpinned by a proven growth strategy delivered through acquisitions, network expansion and platform investment. www.steer.co.uk
Contact information
Clare Nicol, Head of Brand clarenicol@steer.co.uk
07938 488287
Izzy Goldstein, BoldVoodoo (PR) izzy@boldvoodoo.com
079601 30751